With the resurgence in classic barbers and men’s grooming is coming a certain pride in men regarding their hair that hasn’t been seen in decades. The problem is that not many barbers or stylists are willing or able to explain to men how they need to keep the style that they leave the salon or barbershop with.
Most men are left wandering the aisles of department stores, looking for a product similar to whatever their stylist used in their hair to no avail. The issue is lack of education – many men just do not know what certain products do or even that there is a difference between products.
This short guide will enable men everywhere to know the difference between products and choose what is best for their cut and hair type.
Pomade is a really unique product because the texture is unlike any other. It is used to add shine and medium-strong hold to hair. This product is incredibly popular right now because all the old school haircuts that our grandfathers had are very much back in style.
A little goes a long way with this product, so start with a dime-sized amount and add more for stronger hold and more shine. I recommend all of Layrite’s pomades, as they are water-soluble, so they wash out easily and leave your hair feeling clean and not sticky.
Hair wax, sometimes called molding wax, is used to create texture in the hair. It can add shine to the hair but is usually for more mattes styles. Wax is great for fine hair and messy looks, like “surfer hair.” I love Crew’s Fiber product, which isn’t too matte or too shiny.
Putty is basically a “wetter” version of wax. Putty tends to have more hold than wax because it creates a web-like structure of fibers to hold the hair fairly stiff. Putty is what you should grab when aiming for more gravity-defying styles. I really like RUSK’s new putty, which was released just last month.
Styling creams or sprays are for styles that rely on keeping the hair soft and natural without much hold. Styling creams are really just to tame flyaways and are great for defining waves or curls in the hair so they don’t get frizzy throughout the day. This product is ideal for longer hair and almost acts like a light hold hairspray. Crew’s styling cream and Layrite’s grooming spray act similarly and are reasonably priced for their high quality.
Try using one of these products instead of the usual go-to: hair gel. Gel just gets stiff and creates flakes in the hair, and there really aren’t very many styles that require gel—you can use something else in place of it that will definitely be more efficient and flattering.
Still have questions? Email me at [email protected] and I’ll walk you through buying the best product for your hair type and style.
